Air launder



Manna-1939. R D CH LS 2,149,744

- AIR LAUNDER Filed Aug. 15, 1956' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /NVE/V7'OP.'

PICHAQD D. NICHOLS,

March 7, 1939. R D MCHQLS 2,149,744

' I AIR LAUNDER I Filed Aug. 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/VVE/VTOQ. IZICHAQD D. NICHOLS,

March 7, 1939. -R D N cH Ls 2,149,744

' AIR LAUNDER Filed Aug. 15', 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v f/vvs/vroe." v

PlCHAQD D. NlCHOLSQ mlw r Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED :1 sr-Ares PAT-1E NT OFFICE LAUNDER LRichard DaNichols, Columbus; Ohio, .assignor' to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation. of'Ohio I r Application :August' 15, L936; Serial No, 96239,

. 1 Claim.. (Cl. 209-.-494) This invention relates "to an improved,- air launder oraintable particularly adapted for the dry separation of coal andrefuse, though it: may be employed for the dry concentration of ores.

: 5 .An object'of the invention is to provide an improved device of the'above mentioned class which would be very eflicient in operation toobtain the cleanseparation of coal: and refuse which is found inrun-oL-mine coal.

A more-specific object: of theinvention is to provide an air table in'.whichimproved means are provided to insure that only refuse entersinto therefuse" withdrawal. pockets thusrproviding for a clean separatiom of coal andurefuse.

. Other objects .of "the invention-will appear 525 the arrows;

' Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional'view'taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. l looking' in the directionof the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a transverse-sectional vi-ewitaken"on the line 5--5.of Fig 2 looking-in .thedirection of the arrows; and

Fig. 6- is' an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 6'-6-'of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

' Referring tothe accompanying drawings; it will be seen that the air :tableof my invention comprises a main frame'lfl formed by a pair of longinally extendingI-beams'il l", l I interconnected at the feed end by a rigidly attached motor supporting plate l2 and at thedi'scharge'end by a transversely'extending-member I3.: Said mainframe l ispivotally supported at: thefeed end from a foundation oracolumn M by appropriate pivoted bracket means [5. There are-two ofsaid brackets 15, one at eachside of themain frame Ill. Said main frame I0 is preferably maintained'in a downwardlysloping positiongas seen in Fig. 2,

the lower end being .adjustablywsupported upon a jack l6, thus providing for a variabledetermination'of the slope of the air-table with aconsequent adjustment of'the rate. of travel of material thereover.

Mounted upon the main frame H! for oscillating motion with respect thereto is a deck I1,

55 which deck is'formedby a pair of longitudinally extending .sideboards |8,-'l8' to which arerigidly attached longitudinally extending top and bottom angle members l9 -and appropriate connecting *upr'ig'ht angle members 20. The deckll is supported upon the main frame ID for. oscillatoryor 5 vibratory motion with respect thereto by a. plurality of stub levers-2| having journal bearings at "each end carried in bearing blocksZZ and 23 rigidly attached-to the deck l'lv and the main frame ll), respectively It may be mentioned that in their normal positions the plane of the stub levers 2| is preferably perpendicular to the plane of the deck l1 :andoscillatory motion is equal to each side thereof. If desired, however,

the plane ofsaid stub levers 2| may formv an acute 5 angle with the plane of the deck I! there-by to impart a conveying action to any material carried on said deck to aid the travel of material 'thereacross'as influenced by gravity due to the inclination of thetable.

When this angular relation-"of the stub levers is employed the air table maybe 'even placed in a horizontal position.

' Toeffectoscillation of the deck I! with respect to'the main" frame I 0, I provide an oscillating mechanism 24 comprising a crank shaft 25 carry- Q25 ing a fly wheel '26 at one end. and a drive pulley 21 at the other end. An electric motor 28 mounted'upon plate l2 drives the pulley?! through a plurality 'of V-belts 295 Crank shaft 25 is supported upon a bracket 30 andcarried by a pair of =30 journal bearings 3|, 3|. Cooperating with the offset central crank portion of the shaft 25 is a "connecting rod'or pitman 32 which is pivotally attached to a transverse member of the deck 11 by abracket 33. It will thus be evident that rota- .tion of the motor 28 will produce oscillatory movement of the deck I! with respect to the main frame [0.

To aid the return movement of the deck I1 I provide a pairof adjustable coil springs 34, 34"

whichare attached at one end to an angle member 35 carried by the rear end of the deck I! and at the other end to the bracket 30.

-Referring particularly to Figs; 4 and 5 of the,

qdrawings', it: is'to be noted that the deck I! also includes a perforated false bottom 36 which is :provided with perforations 31 and with which cooperates a plurality of perforated plates 38 provided with perforations 39. Each plate 38 is 3- laterally adjustable by adjusting meansf40 and in cooperation with the false bottom 36 provides adjustable valve means for controlling the flow of fluid, such as air, through said false bottom "36 to an individual cell, of which there is a plurality beneath the hereinafter described screen plate 48, as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

It may be mentioned that the deck I! is formed into a plurality of sections 4|, 42 and 43 which are substantially duplicated except for differences hereinafter described. Each of said sections 4|, 42 and 43 will be provided with one or more individually controllable perforated plates 38.

Positioned below each of the deck sections 4|, 42 and 43 is an air chamber or air conduit 44 which provides an air-tight communication therewith by a flexible encircling skirt 45.

Carried between the sideboards l8 of the deck I! and formed as an independently removable unit which may be bodily lifted from said deck I! and replaced by a different unit, is a screen section 48 formed by a pair of longitudinally extending sideboards 41, 41 adapted to ride upon the false bottom 38 and carrying intermediate their tops and bottoms, a perforated screen plate 48. The screen section 48 is clamped in the deck I! by a plurality of transversely extending angle members 49 which are removably attached to the angle members 9 of deck I! as by nuts and bolts 50. This removable structure is provided so that the screen plate 48 may be readily renewed by keeping on hand a number of screen sections 48 having screen plates 48 with different sized perforations, thus providing for the treatment of coal of different size ranges. It will, of course, be evident that the size range of the coal being treated will determine to a large extent the amount of perforated opening which should be present in any screen plate 48.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 6 of the drawings, it is to be noted that each of the deck sections 4|, 42 and 43 is provided with a transversely extending refuse discharge chute formed by a pair of spaced transversely extending plates or boards 52, the tops of which are attached to plate 48 and the bottoms of which ride upon the false bottom 38. The false bottom 38 is provided with a transversely extending discharge chute 53, in alignment with the opening 5|, which leads to a chute 54. Chute 54 is mounted upon a pair of inverted U-shaped side brackets 55, 55 (see Fig. 3) which are supported upon side brackets 58, 58 carried by the I-beams H, II. The cooperating brackets 55 and 58 support the chute 54 for oscillatory movement which is required due to the vibratory movement between the deck H and the main frame l8.

To insure a relatively tight connection between the chute 54 and the false bottom 38 of the deck I? I provide a pair of transversely extending channel members 51, 51 (seeFig. 4) adjacent the top edges of the chute 54 which carry a pair of elastic members 58, 58 which cooperate Witha second pair of channel members 59, 59 carried by the false bottom 38.

The deck I! also carries adjacent each refuse draw, a pair of transversely extending angle members 88, 88 which are rigidly attached to the side boards I8, I 8, and which carry appropriate reinforced Z-shaped plates 8|, 6| which cooperate with the channel members 59 to hold them in proper position and which also cooperate to provide an air chamber below the perforated false bottom 36.

As best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, within the chute 54 are a plurality of upright partitions 82 and 83, the latter only extending part-way up from the bottom. To the lower ends of said partitions 82 and 83 is connected an abutment rod 84 which extends longitudinally of the chute 54. It will be understood that material moving downwardly through the chute 54 will be discharged to either side of the abutment rod 64. Below the bottom of the chute 54 is a semi-circular trough 85 which receives material discharged through the chute 54 and becomes filled thereby. The trough 85 cooperates with the push rod 84 and the chute 54 to effect the discharge of material from the chute 5| of the deck I! at a controllable rate. This rate is effected by controlling the speed and angle of oscillation of the trough 85, which trough 85 is continuously oscillated when the deck is in motion.

To effect the oscillatory motion of the trough 85 I mount said trough on stub shafts 68 and 87 (see Fig. 3) which are carried in appropriate journals in brackets 58. Stub shaft 8'! has rigidly connected thereto a crank lever 88 having a bifurcated end adapted to receive a transversely extending oscillating shaft 89. As seen in Figs. land 2 of the drawings the shaft 89 may be oscillated from'a crank driven from crank shaft 25 by appropriate chain and sprocket mechanism H and each of the three refuse discharge mechanisms associated with the deck sections 4|, 42 and 43 will be operated from said shaft 89.

Cooperating with each of the crank levers 88 is a pair of adjustable stops 12 which provide for the individual adjustment of the angular motion of each of the troughs 85 during operation.

Surrounding each trough 85 is a receiving hopper 85' which extends transversely of the main frame l8 and is rigidly supported thereby. Hopper 85 will receive the material which is discharged by the trough 85 and direct it to a transversely extending screw conveyor mechanism 13 by which said refuse will be discharged laterally from the table through a discharge spout 14. All of the screw conveyor mechanisms 73 will be operated from the motor 28 through appropriate drive chain and sprocket mechanism (Fig. 1) driven from a shaft 18, which in turn, is driven by the chain and sprocket mechanism 1|.

It will be evident that any material which is received in the chute 5| will flow into the trough 85. As said trough 65 oscillates the push rod 84 will be effective to push the material over the lateral edges thereof in amounts determined by the angle of oscillation thereof and its rate of oscillation. This material which is pushed over the sides of the trough 85 will be guided by the hopper 55' into the screw conveyor mechanism 13 by which it will be discharged. It is to be particularly noted, as will be hereinafter described in more detail, that the refuse discharge mechanism, including particularly the trough 85, should be adjusted to maintain the chutes 5| and 54 full of refuse at all times. This is very important in effecting a satisfactory separation of materials, for it insures the presence of a refuse bed on the screen plate 48 at all times and prevents the entrance of coal into the refuse discharge chute 5 I, as will be hereinafter described in more detail.

It is to be noted that the entire screen plate 48 of all the sections 4|, 42 and 43 lies in a single plane. It has been found from exhaustive experimentation thatthis type of deck may be employed particularly in connection with the refuse control means now to be described, to effect a very efficient separation of coal and refuse.

As best seen in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings, the refuse discharge chute 5| provides a transversely extending opening which extends completely across the deck between the side boards 41, 41. Cooperating with the opening to each of the chutes 5| is a cover or hood 88 formed by a transversely extending top plate 8| having at each end an upwardly extending plate 82 provided with a pair of elongated arcuate openings 83, 83 with which cooperate clamping screws 84, 84. The plate 8| is hingedly attached to the screen plate 48 adjacent the lower or downstream edge of the opening to chute 5|, by a plurality of hinges 85.

Adjacent the forward or upstream edge of the plate 8| I provide a normally vertical plate 86 which is p-ivotaly attached to said plate 8|, as by a continuous hinge 81. To provide for adjustment of the plate 86 with respect to the plate 8|, a threaded bolt 88, of which there are a plurality, threads into a pivoted nut 89 carried upon a downwardly extending bracket 98, supported by plate 8|, which bolt 88 extends through the plate 86 and is provided with a nut 9|. The nut 9| is keyed to the bolt 88 to permit ready turning of said bolt 88 with respect to the plate 86. Thus by applying a tool to the nut 9|, the bolt 88 may be rotated in either direction to swing the plate 86 with respect to the plate 8| about the hinge 81. It is also evident that the plate 8| may be swung about the hinge 85 and held in adjusted position by the screws 84. It is to be noted that the plate 88 is positioned directly above one of the boards 52 forming the chute 5|, and thus the air moving upwardly through the perforated plate 48 is not caught under the hood 88.

It is also to be noted that the plate 86 has its bottom edge spaced above the screen plate 48 thereby to provide a longitudinally extending port 92 which provides the sole entrance from the deck to the refuse discharge chute 5|. It may be mentioned that the plate 86 has such a height that the port 92 is always fed only with stratified refuse. That is, in the operation of the device, the instantaneous variations in the depth of the refuse bed will be such that the top of the refuse bed is always above the bottom of the plate 86 and always below the top thereof. Thus, in.- stantaneous'variations in the depth of the refuse bed will not result in a discharge of refuse into the succeeding compartment or a discharge of coal into the refuse chute 5|.

In the operation of the device comprising my invention, air under pressure will be supplied to the air chambers or conduits 44 and thence through the screen plate 48 as controlled by the individual valves 38. Oscillatory motion will be imparted to the deck I by the oscillating mechanism 24. At the same time the refuse withdrawal mechanism, including the oscillating troughs 65, will be operated, and the spiral conveyor mechanism 13 will be operated to remove accumulated refuse.

Coal will be fed to the deck at the upper end thereof over a feed chute 95 and will spread out over the screen plate 48. The combined actions of the upward currents and vibratory motion will be effective to stratify the fed materials, such as run-of-mine coal, with the refuse, such as shale, pyrite and bony coal, in the bottom strata, and the clean coal on top. The lowermost strata of the stratified bed will be directed to the refuse discharge chute 5| by the hood mechanism 80, which hood mechanism 80 will be effective to insure that only refuse enters said chute 5|. This selective action of the hood 80 is possible by virtue of the fact that the chute 5| will be maintained continuously full of refuse by so adjusting the oscillation of refuse discharge trough that there is always a refuse bed on the screen plate 48 which has a depth at least equal to the height of port 92, but not greater than the height of plate 88. As a consequence, refuse will be discharged at the rate it forms, after the deck is once adjusted in operation, and the bafiie plate 86 will be operative to compensate for instantaneous variations in the depth of the refuse bed, insuring that no refuse be discharged over the top of plate 8|, at the same time insuring that no coal will enter the port 92.

It will, of course, be evident that the heaviest gravity material will constitute the refuse in the draw station associated with the first deck section 4|, and the lighter gravity refuse will be passed over as a clean product into the following sections. By employing three successive deck sections 4|, 42 and 43, I am able to remove the refuse strata consecutively in accordance with decreasing specific gravities.

The final product which is discharged over the lower end of the screen plate 48 will be clean coal substantially free from any refuse.

It is to be particularly noted that both the hood and the refuse control mechanism, including particularly the trough 65, are important features which contribute to the improved results which I realize. That is, unless the chute 5| is maintained full of refuse it is very difiicult to insure that the stratified refuse on the screen plate 48 will always be above the top of the port 92, and without the hood mechanism 80 it is practically impossible to prevent some coal from falling into the refuse discharge chute 5|.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claim hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A separator deck comprising a perforate plate, an upright discharge chute leading from said plate, a cover for said chute constructed and arranged to cover the vertical projection thereof, said cover including a pivoted top plate and a baffle plate pivoted tosaid top plate and positioned above said perforate plate.

RICHARD D. NICHOLS. 

